Equality and diversity implications in reports considered by MPA committees

Report: 15
Date: 04 December 2003
By: Clerk

Summary

This report summarises some of the key issues identified in reports considered at recent meetings of the Authority’s Committees. 

A. Recommendation

That the Board notes the information.

B. Supporting information

1. One of the roles of the Board is to inform itself of issues relating to equal opportunities and diversity addressed by other MPA Committees.

2. The Board is advised that relevant reports on the following subjects have been considered at recent meetings. 

Finance Committee 10 July

• Progress report on the sponsorship and Income Generation Unit – amongst the initiatives being undertaken is an LGBT reporting pack.

Planning Performance and Review Committee 10 July

• Criminal justice system – paper reporting improvements to the support given to vulnerable victims and witnesses and works undertaken to make cells and courts more accessible to disabled people.
• The regular performance report noted exceptions in strategic disproportionality indicators.
• Domestic violence – report highlighted lack of information about the ethnicity of respondents and hence a knowledge deficit on the differential impact of domestic violence on different communities.
• Operational support policing service improvement review – equality and diversity concerns inbuilt in the project initiation document.

Co-ordination and Policing Committee 21 July

• Community safety accreditation “proof of concept” scheme proposed. Scheme gives opportunities for career progression for members of disadvantaged communities.
• MPA staff pay evaluation exercise, using Hay process, reported to Committee.

Co-ordination and Policing Committee 1 September

• Progress report on step change proposals – scope to expand the mix of officers serving within the MPS given greater numbers and the creation of a new community service specialism

Human Resources Committee 4 September

• Implications of the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief and Sexual Orientation) Regulations - report attached as Appendix 1.
• Developing leadership and management skills – report outlined a number of internal and external training and development initiatives. Concern expresses about lack of success of VEM candidates for the Home Office’s High Potential Development Scheme. The gender and ethnicity take up of the Commissioner’s Leadership Programme will be monitored for future courses.
• Training issues – the opening of a south London site to extend training opportunities particularly for those whose domestic and caring responsibilities make Hendon inaccessible.
• Recruitment and retention – report attached as Appendix 2.

Professional Standards and Complaints Committee 11 September

• Complaints management information – diversity data analysis contained within Appendix 2 to this paper.
• Restorative justice in grievance resolution – introducing a new approach to early intervention aimed at reducing formal grievance and complaints cases, to be piloted in two areas.

Finance Committee 15 September

• Implementation of Activity Based Costing in the MPS - By providing an indication of cost to help set performance in context, ABC data may provide local managers with additional information on which to assess their compliance with the Race Relations Amendment Act and to assess equality of service provision.
• Works to Acton police station were approved which will provide:
  • improved facilities including ramped or hoist access to the front office, low level counters in the front office, a convenient parking space, lifts and toilets for people with disabilities, to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act. 
  • an improved public front office to comply with current design standards will provide a greater level of privacy, security and comfort for all groups or communities visiting the police station.
  • enlarged and improved locker rooms and showers will provide improved privacy and dignity in the workplace for all groups or communities within the police.

Co-ordination and Policing Committee 19 September

• Appointments to outside bodies - R David Muir and Abdal Ullah appointed to the LGA social inclusion group.

Consultation Committee 22 September 

• CPCG development – revised funding application forms will contribute to the MPA’s efforts in ensuring that its approaches to consultation are inclusive of London’s diverse communities and will contribute to the consultation requirement of the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. 
• Measuring community consultation – a process has been identified for identifying what consultation and engagement is currently being carried out by the MPS. Implementing this process will give the MPS an opportunity to work towards closing the gaps within the current approach. 

Planning Performance and Review Committee 9 October

• Street crime – noting that the Disproportionality Sub Group of the London Crime Reduction Delivery Board is charged with monitoring disproportionality issues and reporting back to that Board.
• Operation Maxim – the MPS response to human trafficking and organised immigration crime.
• Victoria Climbie – detailing the follow up action within the MPS in response to Lord Laming’s report, launching, among other initiatives the safeguarding children IAG.

Co-ordination and Policing Committee 20 October 

• Name badges for police officers - The DOIT team were consulted about the draft policy, as it is inevitable that diversity issues will arise. It will be necessary to monitor the roll out programme to ensure that no individual or group of staff is disadvantaged

Finance Committee 23 October

• Contract for supply and installation of furniture and ancillary services – the specification of furniture to be supplied covers provision of appropriate furniture for those with disabilities.

Human Resources Committee 6 November

• Recruitment and retention – report attached as Appendix 3.
• Fairness at work – update paper recording that 3 concerns have so far been raised on the grounds of unfair treatment in respect of race or gender.
• Disability Discrimination Act – report attached as Appendix 4.

Professional Standards and Complaints Committee 10 November

• Complaints management information – reporting two separate exercises to monitor disproportionality in external and internal complaints and grievance processes.
• PCA guidelines on handling complaints alleging racially discriminatory behaviour – MPS is to conduct a pilot putting the PCA recommendations into effect to ensure consistent working practices.

Consultation Committee 13 November

• The Review of Independent Custody Visiting - see separate report at agenda item 12 on the EODB agenda.
• Step Change Programme consultation update – The ongoing development of neighbourhood policing will draw from MPA consultations as outlined in ‘Outcomes of the MPS consultation on Policing Priorities’. Local consultation will require the inclusion of ‘hard to hear’ groups often most in need of reassurance.
• Outcomes of the MPA consultation on policing priorities - report attached as Appendix 5.

Co-ordination and Policing Committee 17 November

No specific issues.

Finance Committee 20 November

• Annual reports of Information Systems outsource contracts - The meeting was advised that equality and diversity considerations would have been fully addressed when the contracts were first let. Also, Procurement Services monitor the contracts with the last such exercise having been carried out a year ago.
• Consultancy services to manage delivery of the annual major maintenance.
• Management of the Facilities services contractor.

The employment practices of the companies to which these contracts were let comply fully with MPA requirements with respect to equality and diversity.

C. Equality and diversity implications

Central to the report.

D. Financial implications

None arising from this report.

E. Background papers

None.

F. Contact details

Report author:

For more information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

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